Be safe: Never drink and then drive; follow the law when out on the road

As the holiday season gets into full swing, there will be many parties across the island, from fiestas and family gatherings to office Christmas parties.

At many of these celebrations, alcohol will be served. There's nothing wrong when adults consume alcohol responsible. Unfortunately, far too many people who drink alcohol end up behind the wheel -- sometimes with deadly consequences. Our community is far too familiar with accidents in which someone is seriously injured or killed by drunken drivers.

What makes this even more tragic is that drunken driving crashes are easily preventable. Drinking and driving is a choice each driver makes.

It doesn't take much to prevent drunken driving. The nonprofit group Mothers Against Drunk Driving provides these tips:

•Be responsible for yourself. If you drink, don't drive, no matter how little you think you have had.

•Designate a driver before you arrive at an event or party.

•If hosting a party, make sure to set rules on drinking and driving. Offer to provide a ride home or a place for guests who drink to sleep.

•If you see someone impaired by alcohol about to drive, take away his or her keys. If you can't drive the person, call him or her a cab.

•If possible, avoid driving during the early and late evening hours on holidays like Christmas and New Years.

•Protect yourself and passengers by wearing a safety belt at all times. Buckling up is the best defense against an impaired driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Also, if you're attending your company's holiday party and have been drinking, take a taxi home -- many businesses will reimburse you for the cab fare.

As a prevention measure, the Guam Police Department will conduct sobriety checkpoints around the island. All drivers should exhibit patience when going through these checkpoints because, while they may seem like an inconvenience, the checkpoints could very well save lives, possibly those of people you know and love.

Motorists should drive defensively, stay within the speed limit and obey all traffic laws. Follow the law: don't make cellphone calls or send text messages while driving. All your attention should be on the road and traffic.

We can all do our part to increase our personal safety this holiday season.

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Be safe: Never drink and then drive; follow the law when out on the road

As the holiday season gets into full swing, there will be many parties across the island, from fiestas and family gatherings to office Christmas parties.At many of these celebrations, alcohol will be